Reunion
by juggiebugheadjones
Summary: Six years ago Jughead Jones walked out of Betty's life. Now as she prepares to marry another man, Betty must decide if she should go with the safe choice of the man who she knows wouldn't leave her. Or take a chance on the boy she can't seem to let go.
1. Chapter 1: Hey there Juliet

Betty Cooper looked out the window of her childhood bedroom. It had been nearly 6 years since Jughead Jones climbed through it for the very last time. She remembered that night like it was yesterday. He had climbed through the window and made love to her. She had never known him to be as raw and passionate as he had been that night. In the morning, he told her that he had to go. She had gotten a scholarship to a journalism program at a school in Chicago. He couldn't hold her back and couldn't go with her. She had told him she would wait for him and begged him to stay, but he had left anyway. He had never believed that he was good enough for her. He thought that he was doing what was right for both. He said that she deserved better than a fuck up like him. She had never thought of him as a fuck up. He was her soulmate and even now she knew it.

"You ok in here?" A female voice shattered her reverie. Veronica 'Ronnie' Andrews stood in the doorway. Currently, her pregnant belly was sticking at least a foot further into the room than she did. She looked good for someone who was 8 months pregnant. Betty was so happy for her and her husband Archie. They had been married for almost two years and were excited to become parents. She'd never been closer to any friend than she was with Ronnie. It was nice to see that happy endings were possible.

"Oh my God Ronnie, you are twice as big as you were a few months ago." She hugged her friend tightly. "how's it going?"

"Well, I can't tie my shoes or really even see my feet, but the Doctor says everything looks great." She smiled. "He should be here in just a few more weeks. I can't wait to finally meet him."

"I can't believe all of this is happening. We are all growing up. You are about to be someone's mom and I'm getting married." She smiled.

"I know it's a little scary that we are the grown ups now." Ronnie said. There was a small hint of fear in her voice.

"Yeah." Betty managed to smile at her friend. She didn't want Ronnie knowing that somewhere deep inside she was still thinking about Jughead. She had decided to put the past behind her and move on. She found herself spinning her new engagement ring nervously around her finger. It still felt foreign to her. "I guess I should get downstairs."

"If you aren't down there soon, your mother will probably have an actual stroke." Ronnie joked. "It's your engagement party after all. Loosen up a little. It's supposed to be fun."

Veronica was right. It was her engagement party. After everything she had been through, she deserved happiness. She shouldn't let the memory of someone who chose to leave her years ago dampen her mood. She smiled as she locked eyes with her brand-new fiancée, Huxley Parker Blaine. Hux was handsome in a very traditional way. He had broad shoulders, wavy brown hair, and teeth that were perfect without braces. He was exactly the type of man she had pictured herself marrying when she was a little girl. He was the opposite of Jughead in pretty much every way imaginable. That was one of the reasons she had given him a chance. He'd helped her through a very rough time in her life and she was grateful to him for that as well.

She'd met Hux during her first Journalism internship after college. She had been working for a small digital newspaper, and he had been a junior columnist. He had asked her out off and on for more than 6 months. She always said no. Back then, she wanted to focus on her career. She had still been holding out hope that maybe she could get back together with Juggie.

While doing research for an investigative piece on a local kingpin, Betty had been kidnapped and brutally raped. She had thought that learning her father was a serial killer was the worst thing that would ever happen to her. Being violated was worse. 2 days after being kidnapped, she was rescued. The damage had been done. Hux had been there for her after. He had encouraged her to seek help and get better. She still saw a therapist, but it was getting easier to cope with life every day. She would never be the same, but she could live her life. That was what mattered. It wasn't until later that Betty learned that Hux was a victim of sexual abuse as well. He had been raped by his stepfather for several years before his mother found out and they put the bastard in jail. It was a common bond that brought them together. He was the only person she had been with since the rape.

She told him all about Jughead. He was surprisingly understanding. At first, it was hard. They never had the raw and undeniable connection that she had always felt with Jug. They were too souls with shared experiences that found comfort in each other. They were not truly soulmates. Even Archie had admitted that though he was extremely happy for her, she didn't fit with Hux like she had with Jughead. She had to admit that she didn't quite feel like they were two halves of a whole. She missed feeling that way. Hux was incredibly kind and he deserved her love. So, she tried her hardest to give it to him.

Sex with Hux was vanilla. He did it mostly to satisfy the urge. He struggled with intimacy because of his past. He rarely showed affection during or after. He treated Betty with kid gloves because he didn't want to hurt or trigger her. Sometimes she just wanted passion. He only made it about her on special occasions. With Jughead it had been about both of them. She had never had sex like that with anyone else. With Hux, it was not always the most satisfying, but she had convinced herself that this was the way grownups did it. She did love Hux. He was sweet and kind. He knew how to make her laugh. He was the only man other than Jughead whom she had ever pictured having a life with. Sex wasn't everything. Sometimes she still had to admit that when she saw the white picket fence future she dreamed of, she saw it with Jug.

The fact that her mother loved Huxley Blaine made the relationship easier. From the first day her mother had met him, Alice had been thrilled. She said that Betty had come to her senses and found the right kind of boyfriend. Betty hated when her mom talked that way. Alice clearly thought that Jughead had been the wrong type of boyfriend. The worst part was that she thought Alice had liked Jughead in the end. After everything he'd gone through with Betty, he deserved better than her mother's distain. Her mother could be very hard to please. Betty wasn't sure how she would react if she ever decided to end things with Hux. Luckily for Alice, that wasn't happening any time soon.

"Hey Arch." Ronnie said wrapping an arm around her husband as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Archie smiled as Hux came over to make conversation. He had never developed a strong friendship with Betty's Riverdale friends. They were foreign to him, he had grown up in Chicago. He was in his heart a city kid. They had a group of close friends in Chicago. Betty didn't feel the same bond with them that she did with Archie and Ronnie. Betty couldn't help but feel like they were really all Hux's friends and if they ever broke up, they would all choose Hux. She would be all alone. With Ronnie and Archie, she knew that their loyalty was to her. Hux couldn't wait for the week long stay to end. They had only arrived that morning. Betty smiled as her nephew Dagwood pulled playfully on the scarlet hair of his twin sister Juniper. He looked more like his father every day. She was grateful that Polly had brought the kids to see her.

"Elizabeth tells me that the baby is due in just a few more weeks. Are you excited?" Hux asked. He, like all her friends in Chicago, always called her Elizabeth. It was one more way she had tried to get away from the past.

"Yeah." Ronnie said trying to keep up the small talk. She was trying her hardest to become friends with Betty's new fiancée. "He's due next month."

"Have you picked out a name yet?" Hux asked. Betty, Veronica, and Archie all looked down. Archie and Veronica had known the moment that the doctor told them it was a boy what they would name him.

"His name is going to be Fred." Archie finally managed. He was clearly trying not to cry. "After my dad." Hux looked down. Betty had told him about Archie's father, she had assumed he would remember. Before anymore could be said, Cheryl Blossom and Toni Topaz came through the door. Cheryl gave her one of her dark mischievous smiles. Betty couldn't help but cringe. It had been years since she was on the receiving end of one of those looks, and they were still frightening.

"Hello, dearest cousin." She kissed Betty on the cheek softly, but managed to whisper. "I found something that I think I should at least tell you about. Find me when you have a chance. Oh, and leave the beefcake out of it. He won't like it."

Betty wondered what on earth Cheryl could have found out. Cheryl was famous for knowing everything. Still, it was tricky. She didn't know if Cheryl was back to her old manipulating ways, or if she really knew something that Betty didn't know. Polly smiled as Cheryl ran to her niece and nephew and began scooping them into a hug. It seemed to be a day for reunions.

"Elizabeth honey, we should probably make an introduction." Hux said, ever the gentlemen.

"I'm going to mingle for a few more minutes, than we can. I want to give the stragglers a chance to arrive." She kissed him softly on the jaw. Betty smiled as Ethel Muggs came through the door. She hadn't seen Ethel in years. She was happy she had decided to come. Ethel snuck inside and began chatting with Toni, Cheryl was still actively playing with the twin children.

"I know it's the best thing I've ever read." Toni said as Betty approached.

"I had to come say hi, thank you so much for coming." Betty hugged Ethel. "It's been over 2 years at least."

"I know." Ethel hugged her tightly

"What were you two chatting about?" Betty asked.

"The new JH Forsythe novel, Toni and I are in a book club together, and we are reading it. Its even better than his first two. Which I didn't think was possible." Ethel continued. Betty nearly choked. She had yet to read any of the JH Forsythe books. He was on his third one, they were all New York Times best sellers. She had major suspicions about the famous author, but she couldn't prove them. There were no pictures of him in his books and he hadn't done any tours. It would be just like Jughead to hide from the spotlight. Despite all of Betty's investigative connections, she had been unable to confirm if it truly was him. Betty had bought all three of the books. In the end she couldn't find the stomach to read them. She had heard about the characters and she was terrified of how much of herself she would find in them. She imagined that they were a picture of her past with Jug and she wanted more than anything to forget that.

She had asked Archie on two occasions if he knew where Juggie was. Archie had answered both times simply 'He is doing ok.' Betty had never pressed further. Ronnie had confirmed to Betty a few years earlier that Jughead and Archie had weekly conversations. Archie wouldn't, out of loyalty to his friend, tell Betty much of anything. Jughead didn't want to be found.

"Perhaps you should go find Cheryl." Toni said she seemed to sense the shift in Betty's mood. She smiled at her. Betty looked across the room at Hux. It was time to get the show on the road. Before she could get to her fiancée, Cheryl managed to pull her to the side. She was struggling not to show her emotions.

"I really think you need to know this." Cheryl said. "Toni wasn't sure I should tell you."

"What is it Cheryl, I need to meet up with Hux to give the speeches and crap." Betty explained desperate to escape.

"Toni and I stopped off at Pop's before we came." Cheryl managed. "We saw Jughead there."

"What?" Betty said. Her heart was pounding in her chest now. "What the hell is he doing here now?"

"I don't know." Cheryl admitted. "But he wanted me to tell you congratulations and that he will be at Pop's for the rest of the evening if you want to speak with him."

"Shit." Betty said. The use of language surprised even her. How would she ever explain this to Hux? She knew she needed to see him. It was the closure she needed to move forward. Without it she would probably always wonder what might have been.

"Are you going to be ok?" Cheryl asked with a surprise gesture of comfort.

"I'm ok." Betty managed. "Did you get his number or anything?"

"Yeah." Cheryl said.

"Tell him I will meet him after the engagement party." She managed. This was not a good idea, but she knew she needed to go. "I need to go and play hostess now." She walked away not sure what to do next.

-/-

Several hours earlier…

Jughead Jones had no idea what the hell he was doing. He had no right to do this. The words from Archie's last call rang over and over in his head. He should be working on his next book or meeting with some publishing executive about marketing. Right now, all he could think about was what Archie had said. "I won't be able to talk to you next week, I have to go to Betty's engagement party." Betty Cooper, his Betty Cooper, was getting married. He had read every article she had written for 6 years. He had been too ashamed to reach out to her. He had no right to do so now. But he needed to talk to her. He needed her to know that he had regretted leaving nearly everyday since he had left.

He wasn't the punk kid he had once been. He had made a good life for himself. He had a large house in Westchester New York and was an international best-selling Author. He wondered if Betty had read his books. She had to know that JH Forsythe was him. She had been the one who had invented it when they were jokingly coming up with pen names for him as teenagers. Not to mention her letter.

He had received a letter about a year earlier through his publishers fan mail address. The publisher had a team of people answering as many letters as possible. When the press had found this one specific letter, they had showed it to him personally. The letter had been from Betty. She had told him that she needed closure so that she could move on with her life. He had been so afraid of seeing her again, that he had never responded.

He had tried to move on. He had even lived with a woman for several years. But he could not forget Betty Cooper. He still loved her just as much as the last time he had climbed out her window. He had to know how she felt. Either way, if she loved the man she was about to marry, he could take it. He could be happy that she was happy. He was pretty sure he wouldn't try the whole dating thing again, but he could live with it. However, if she wasn't happy, he had to give it a try before it really was too late.

He saw the Riverdale sign ahead of him as he drove his truck across the town line. He had not been back in 6 years. He knew that Betty was in town celebrating her engagement. Archie had told him. He decided to pull into pop's for old times sake. Pop himself wasn't there, but the diner was still the same. A nice black girl a few years younger than him greeted him. He ordered his signature milkshake. He reached up and ran his hand through his hair. He wore it much shorter now. It had a style. He had to care since he had left his signature headwear in Betty's bedroom the night he had left.

He walked into the bathroom to wash his hands after the long drive. He couldn't check into his room at the 5 seasons for another few hours. He looked down at his plaid shirt and generic gap jeans and wondered when he had gotten so preppy. He rubbed his stubble filled cheeks. He still couldn't decide if he liked the half beard he was growing, but he knew it really wasn't like him. He wasn't quite Jughead Jones anymore. He had become JH Forsythe.

"Here's your milkshake." The girl smiled as she set it down. He heard the door open again and slumped down in his seat. He hoped that whoever came through it wouldn't recognize him. He finally looked up again, and knew he was in trouble. Of all the people to come in the door, Toni Topaz and Cheryl Blossom entered hand in hand.

"This party is going to be a total snooze fest." Cheryl said. "Betty was so much more interesting when she was the Serpent queen. She was more interesting with Jughead."

"Yeah well, he blew it when he ran off. She is doing what is best for her and…" Toni didn't finish the sentence. She had seen him. Her mouth gaped slightly as she looked him up and down.

"Oh my god." Toni said doing a double take. "Jughead?" Cheryl looked at him her mouth also agape.

"You look like a proper human." Cheryl said first. "I'm not sure it's really him. Do you have a secret twin brother we don't know about?"

"It's me Cheryl." He managed. He would have begged them to go away and forget he was there.

"Well isn't your timing just perfect." Toni said. "do you know where we are headed?"

"To Betty's engagement party. If I heard properly." He managed to sound as nonchalant as he could.

"So, you know?" Cheryl smiled.

"Well I hope this isn't some lame attempt to come back and sweep Betty off her feet. You lost that chance when you bailed 6 years ago." Toni was always the straight forward type. She seemed almost angry at him. They had been good friends once upon a time.

"I don't really know why I'm here." He managed. Cheryl looked positively devious.

"Babe I thought you were past that." Toni said. Cheryl didn't even need to speak for her to know she was up to her old tricks.

"It's Bughead. You know I ship it." She paused. "I can't help it babe."

"Bughead?" Jughead said incredulously

"It was the nickname we gave you guys back in the day. Apparently you never heard it?" Toni asked.

"No, and I would have put an end to it immediately, its awful." He gawked.

"Too late now, you two have been Bughead for years at this point. I don't see that changing anytime soon." Cheryl explained. Jug cringed.

"It doesn't matter." He said finally. "There is no Bughead anymore."

"She isn't married yet Juggikins." Cheryl said.

"Seriously Cheryl." Toni chimed in. "He's right."

"We'll see." She said coyly.

"I just came to wish her good luck and give her closure." He explained. "I'm not here to cause any trouble."

"I'm going to tell her you're here." Cheryl said boldly. Jughead laughed hard.

"It's not like it matters. There is no Bughead anymore." He said.

"So, you aren't here to try and win Betty back in some grand gesture of love?" Cheryl asked sounding almost hopeful. Jughead had to stifle a second laugh.

"No." It sounded like a lie to him, but he hoped they would believe him. "A few months ago, I got a letter from Betty asking for closure, I'm here to give her that."

"We were under the impression that Betty had no idea where you were." Toni stated.

"She figured out my secret. I'm not telling you how I got it, just that I did. I knew she would be here this week so I thought, I would come and tell her that I'm happy for her." He explained. It was true, JH Forsythe had gotten a letter from Betty Cooper. She hadn't been sure it was him, but she had asked that if it was indeed him that he finally give her the closure she needed to move on.

"It's not your place to interfere Cheryl." Toni said reading Cheryl's expression again.

"It's ok Toni." Jughead said looking from Cheryl to Toni. "I hope you do tell her you saw me. Here's my number. I will be hanging out here for a few more hours. If she wants to, she can meet me here and we can talk." His voice was nearly shaking at the idea.

"Fine." Toni said taking the number. Cheryl winked at him and they headed out, apparently forgetting what it was they had come in for.

-/-

Jug spent the next two hours sitting in Pop's, his laptop open as he typed a few paragraphs of his new book. It felt like old times writing at a booth in Pop's. He wondered if Cheryl and Toni would really tell Betty he was here. Would she react or would she even care? He didn't know her anymore. She may have changed. He was about to give up and go to the five seasons. He would call Archie and let him know he was in town. The door to Pop's opened and he saw a flash of blond hair.

She looked older, but not in a bad way. If anything, she was more beautiful than he remembered. She was wearing her hair down these days as opposed to up in a tight ponytail. He noticed that she had on a blue dress and pink ballet flat shoes. She still had the same amazing smile. Most importantly she was here, in front of him for the first time in 6 years.

"Jug?" She asked as she scanned the booths. She stopped dead in her tracks staring at him. He must truly not look like himself. He stood and walked toward her, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Hey there, Juliet." He managed as a small smile cracked across Betty's face.

Betty Cooper looked out the window of her childhood bedroom. It had been nearly 6 years since Jughead Jones climbed through it for the very last time. She remembered that night like it was yesterday. He had climbed through the window and made love to her. She had never known him to be as raw and passionate as he had been that night. In the morning, he told her that he had to go. She had gotten a scholarship to a journalism program at a school in Chicago. He couldn't hold her back and couldn't go with her. She had told him she would wait for him and begged him to stay, but he had left anyway. He had never believed that he was good enough for her. He thought that he was doing what was right for both. He said that she deserved better than a fuck up like him. She had never thought of him as a fuck up. He was her soulmate, and even now she knew it.

"You ok in here?" A female voice shattered her reverie. Veronica 'Ronnie' Andrews stood in the doorway. Currently, her pregnant belly was sticking at least a foot further into the room than she did. She looked good for someone who was eight months pregnant. Betty was so happy for her and her husband, Archie. They had gotten married almost two years ago and were excited to become parents. She'd never been closer to any friend that she was with Ronnie. It was nice to see that happy endings were possible.

"Oh my God Ronnie, you are twice as big as you were a few months ago." She hugged her friend tightly. "how's it going?"

"Well, I can't tie my shoes or even see my feet, but the Doctor says everything looks great." She smiled. "He should be here in just a few more weeks. I can't wait to meet him finally."

"I can't believe all of this is happening. We are all growing up. You are about to be someone's mom, and I'm getting married." She smiled.

"I know it's a little scary that we are the grown-ups now," Ronnie said. There was a small hint of fear in her voice.

"Yeah." Betty managed to smile at her friend. She didn't want Ronnie knowing that somewhere deep inside she was still thinking about Jughead. Betty decided long ago that she needed to put the past behind her and move on. She found herself spinning her new engagement ring nervously around her finger. It still felt foreign to her. "I guess I should get downstairs."

"If you aren't down there soon, your mother will probably have an actual stroke." Ronnie joked. "It's your engagement party after all. Loosen up a little. It's supposed to be fun."

Veronica was right. It was her engagement party. After everything she had been through, she deserved happiness. She shouldn't let the memory of someone who chose to leave her years ago dampen her mood. She smiled as she locked eyes with her brand-new fiancée, Huxley Parker Blaine. Hux was handsome in a very traditional way. He had broad shoulders, wavy brown hair, and teeth that were perfect without braces. Hux was exactly the type of man she had pictured herself marrying when she was a little girl. He was the opposite of Jughead in pretty much every way imaginable. That was one of the reasons she had given him a chance. He'd helped her through a very rough time in her life, and she was grateful to him for that as well.

She'd met Hux during her first Journalism internship after college. She had been working for a small digital newspaper, and he had been a junior columnist. He had asked her out off and on for more than six months. She always said no. Back then, she wanted to focus on her career. She had still been holding out hope that maybe she could get back together with Juggie.

While researching an investigative piece on a local kingpin, Betty had been kidnapped and brutally raped. She had thought that learning her father was a serial killer was the worst thing that would ever happen to her. Being violated was worse. 2 days after being kidnapped, the police busted the operation and rescued Betty. The damage had been done. Hux had been there for her after. He had encouraged her to seek help and get better. She still saw a therapist, but it was getting easier to cope with life every day. She would never be the same, but she could live her life. That was what mattered. It wasn't until later that Betty learned that Hux was a victim of sexual abuse as well. His stepfather had raped him for several years before his mother found out. After a lengthy court case, His stepfather went to jail. It was a common bond that brought them together. He was the only person she had been with since the rape.

She told him all about Jughead. He was surprisingly understanding. At first, it was hard. They never had the raw and undeniable connection that she had always felt with Jug. They were too souls with shared experiences that found comfort in each other. They were not truly soulmates. Even Archie had admitted that though he was extremely happy for her, she didn't fit with Hux as she had with Jughead. She had to admit that she didn't quite feel like they were two halves of a whole. She missed feeling that way. Hux was incredibly kind. He deserved her love. So, she tried her hardest to give it to him.

Sex with Hux was vanilla. He did it mostly to satisfy the urge. He struggled with intimacy because of his past. He rarely showed affection during or after. He treated Betty with kid gloves because he didn't want to hurt or trigger her. Sometimes she just wanted passion. He only made it about her on special occasions. With Jughead it had been about both of them. She had never had sex like that with anyone else. With Hux, it was not always the most satisfying, but she had convinced herself that this was the way grownups did it. She did love Hux. He was sweet and kind. He knew how to make her laugh. He was the only man other than Jughead whom she had ever pictured having a life with. Sex wasn't everything. Sometimes she still had to admit that when she saw the white picket fence in her dreams, she still saw it with Jug.

The fact that her mother loved Huxley Blaine made the relationship easier. From the first day her mother had met him, Alice had been thrilled. She said that Betty had come to her senses and found the right kind of boyfriend. Betty hated when her mom talked that way. Alice thought that Jughead had been the wrong type of boyfriend. The worst part was that she thought Alice had liked Jughead in the end. After everything he'd gone through with Betty, he deserved better than her mother's disdain. Her mother could be difficult to please. Betty wasn't sure how she would react if she ever decided to end things with Hux. Luckily for Alice, that wasn't happening any time soon.

"Hey Arch," Ronnie said wrapping an arm around her husband as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Archie smiled as Hux came over to make conversation. He had never developed a strong friendship with Betty's Riverdale friends. They were foreign to him. He had grown up in Chicago. He was in his heart a city kid. They had a group of close friends in Chicago. Betty didn't feel the same bond with them that she did with Archie and Ronnie. Betty couldn't help but feel like they were all Hux's friends and if they ever broke up, they would all choose Hux. She would be all alone. With Ronnie and Archie, she knew that their loyalty was to her. Hux couldn't wait for the week-long stay to end. Betty didn't want to go back to Chicago. They had only arrived that morning. Betty smiled as her nephew Dagwood pulled playfully on the scarlet hair of his twin sister Juniper. He looked more like his father every day. He had his mother's pale blonde hair. She was grateful that Polly had brought the kids to see her.

"Elizabeth tells me that the baby is due in just a few more weeks. Are you excited?" Hux asked. He, like all her friends in Chicago, always called her Elizabeth. It was one more way she had tried to get away from the past.

"Yeah," Ronnie said trying to keep up the small talk. She was trying her hardest to become friends with Betty's new fiancée. "He's due next month."

"Have you picked out a name yet?" Hux asked. Betty, Veronica, and Archie all looked down. Archie and Veronica had known the moment that the doctor told them it was a boy what they would name him.

"His name is going to be Fred." Archie finally managed. He was trying not to cry. "After my dad." Hux looked down. Betty had told him about Archie's father. She had assumed he would remember. Before any more could be said, Cheryl Blossom and Toni Topaz came through the door. Cheryl gave her one of her dark, mischievous smiles. Betty couldn't help but cringe. It had been years since she was on the receiving end of one of those looks, and they were still frightening.

"Hello, dearest cousin." She kissed Betty on the cheek softly but managed to whisper. "I found something that I think I should at least tell you about, find me when you have a chance. Oh, and leave the beefcake out of it. He won't like it."

Betty wondered what on earth Cheryl could have found out. Cheryl was famous for knowing everything. Still, it was tricky. She didn't know if Cheryl was back to her old manipulating ways, or if she knew something that Betty didn't know. Polly smiled as Cheryl ran to her niece and nephew and began scooping them into a hug. It seemed to be a day for reunions.

"Elizabeth honey, we should probably make an introduction," Hux said, ever the gentlemen.

"I'm going to mingle for a few more minutes than we can. I want to give the stragglers a chance to arrive." She kissed him softly on the jaw. Betty smiled as Ethel Muggs came through the door. She hadn't seen Ethel in years. She was happy she had decided to come. Ethel snuck inside and began chatting with Toni, Cheryl was still actively playing with the twin children.

"I know it's the best thing I've ever read," Toni said as Betty approached.

"I had to come to say hi, thank you so much for coming." Betty hugged Ethel. "It's been over two years at least."

"I know." Ethel hugged her tightly

"What were you two chatting about?" Betty asked.

"The new JH Forsythe novel, Toni and I are in a book club together, and we are reading it. It is even better than his first two. Which I didn't think was possible." Ethel continued. Betty nearly choked. She had yet to read any of the JH Forsythe books. He was on his third one, and they were all New York Times bestsellers. She had major suspicions about the famous author, but she couldn't prove them. There were no pictures of him in his books, and he hadn't done any tours. It would be just like Jughead to hide from the spotlight. Despite all of Betty's investigative connections, she had been unable to confirm if it truly was him. Betty had bought all three of the books. In the end, she couldn't find the stomach to read them. She had heard about the characters. She was terrified of how much of herself she would find in them. She imagined that they were a picture of her past with Jug and she wanted more than anything to forget that.

She had asked Archie on two occasions if he knew where Juggie was. Archie had answered both times simply 'He is doing ok.' Betty had never pressed further. Ronnie had confirmed to Betty a few years earlier that Jughead and Archie had weekly conversations. Archie wouldn't, out of loyalty to his friend, tell Betty much of anything. Jughead didn't want her to find him.

"Perhaps you should go find Cheryl," Toni said she seemed to sense the shift in Betty's mood. She smiled at her. Betty looked across the room at Hux. It was time to get the show on the road. Before she could get to her fiancée, Cheryl managed to pull her to the side. She was struggling not to show her emotions.

"I think you need to know this," Cheryl said. "Toni wasn't sure I should tell you, but I think you need to know."

"What is it, Cheryl? I need to meet up with Hux to give the speeches and crap," Betty explained desperately to escape.

"Toni and I stopped off at Pop's before we came." Cheryl managed. "We saw Jughead there."

"What?" Betty said. Her heart was pounding in her chest now. "What the hell is he doing here now?"

"I don't know," Cheryl admitted. "But he wanted me to tell you congratulations and that he will be at Pop's for the rest of the evening if you want to speak with him."

"Shit," Betty said. The use of language surprised even her. How would she ever explain this to Hux? She knew she needed to see him. It was the closure she needed to move forward. Without it, she would probably always wonder what might have been.

"Are you going to be ok?" Cheryl asked with a surprise gesture of comfort.

"I'm ok." Betty managed. "Did you get his number or anything?"

"Yeah," Cheryl said.

"Tell him I will meet him after the engagement party." She managed. She knew it was not a good idea, but she knew she needed to go. "I have to go and play hostess now. The guests are waiting for me." She walked away not sure what to do next.

-/-

Several hours earlier…

Jughead Jones had no idea what the hell he was doing. He had no right to do this. The words from Archie's last call rang over and over in his head. He should be working on his next book or meeting with some publishing executive about marketing. Right now, all he could think about was what Archie had said. "I won't be able to talk to you next week; I have to go to Betty's engagement party." Betty Cooper, his Betty Cooper, was getting married. He had read every article she had written for six years. Jug had been too ashamed to reach out to her. He had no right to do so now. But he needed to talk to her. He needed her to know that he had regretted leaving nearly every day since he had left.

He wasn't the punk kid he had once been. He had made a good life for himself. He had a large house in Westchester New York and was an international best-selling Author. He wondered if Betty had read his books. She had to know that JH Forsythe was him. She had been the one who had invented it when they were jokingly coming up with pen names for him as teenagers. Not to mention her letter.

He had received a letter about a year earlier through his publisher's fan mail address. The publisher had a team of people answering as many letters as possible. When the press had found this one specific letter, they had shown it to him personally. The letter had been from Betty. She had told him that she needed closure so that she could move on with her life. He had been so afraid of seeing her again, that he had never responded.

He had tried to move on. He had even lived with a woman for several years. But he could not forget Betty Cooper. He still loved her just as much as the last time he had climbed out of her window. He had to know how she felt. Either way, if she loved the man she was about to marry, he could take it. He could be happy that she was happy. He was pretty sure he wouldn't try the whole dating thing again, but he could live with it. However, if she wasn't happy, he had to give it a try before it was too late.

He saw the Riverdale sign ahead of him as he drove his truck across the town line. He had not been back in 6 years. He knew that Betty was in town celebrating her engagement. Archie had told him. He decided to pull into Pop's for old times sake. Pop himself wasn't there, but the diner was still the same. A nice black girl a few years younger than him greeted him. He ordered his signature milkshake. He reached up and ran his hand through his hair. He wore it much shorter now. It had a style. He had to care since he had left his signature headwear in Betty's bedroom the night he had left.

He walked into the bathroom to wash his hands after the long drive. He couldn't check into his room at the five seasons for another few hours. He looked down at his plaid shirt and generic gap jeans and wondered when he had gotten so preppy. He rubbed his stubble filled cheeks. He still couldn't decide if he liked the half beard he was growing, but he knew it wasn't like him. He wasn't quite Jughead Jones anymore. He had become JH Forsythe.

"Here's your milkshake." The girl smiled as she set it down. He heard the door open again and slumped down in his seat. He hoped that whoever came through it wouldn't recognize him. He finally looked up again and knew he was in trouble. Of all the people to come in the door, Toni Topaz and Cheryl Blossom entered hand in hand.

"This party is going to be a total snoozefest," Cheryl said. "Betty was so much more interesting when she was the Serpent-queen. She was more interesting with Jughead."

"Yeah well, he blew it when he ran off. She is doing what is best for her and…" Toni didn't finish the sentence. She had seen him. Her mouth slightly gaped as she looked him up and down.

"Oh my god," Toni said doing a double take. "Jughead?" Cheryl looked at him her mouth also agape.

"You look like a proper human," Cheryl said first. "I'm not sure it's him. Do you have a secret twin brother we don't know about?"

"It's me, Cheryl." He managed. He would have begged them to go away and forget he was there.

"Well isn't your timing just perfect." Toni said. "do you know where we are going tonight?"

"To Betty's engagement party. If I heard properly." He managed to sound as relaxed as he could.

"So, you know?" Cheryl smiled.

"Well, I hope this isn't some lame attempt to come back and sweep Betty off her feet. You lost that chance when you bailed 6 years ago." Toni was always the straight forward type. She seemed almost angry at him. They had been good friends once upon a time.

"I don't really know why I'm here." He managed. Cheryl looked positively devious.

"Babe I thought you were past that," Toni said. Cheryl didn't even need to speak for her to know she was up to her old tricks.

"It's Bughead. You know I ship it." She paused. "I can't help it, babe."

"Bughead?" Jughead said incredulously

"It was the nickname we gave you guys back in the day. You remember it?" Toni asked.

"yes, but it's been years, and I honestly never thought I would hear it again." He gawked."Too late now, you two have been Bughead for years at this point. I don't see that changing anytime soon." Cheryl explained. Jug cringed.

"It doesn't matter." He said finally. "There is no Bughead anymore."

"She isn't married yet Juggikins," Cheryl said.

"Seriously Cheryl." Toni chimed in. "He's right."

"We'll see." She said coyly.

"I just came to wish her good luck and give her closure." He explained. "I'm not here to cause any trouble."

"I'm going to tell her you're here," Cheryl said boldly. Jughead laughed hard.

"It's not like it matters. There is no Bughead anymore." He said.

"So, you aren't here to try and win Betty back in some grand gesture of love?" Cheryl asked sounding almost hopeful. Jughead had to stifle a second laugh.

"No." It sounded like a lie to him, but he hoped they would believe him. "A few months ago, I got a letter from Betty asking for closure. I'm here to give her that."

"We were under the impression that Betty had no idea where you were," Toni stated.

"She figured out my secret. I'm not telling you how I got it, just that I did. I knew she would be here this week so I thought, I would come and tell her that I'm happy for her." He explained. It was true, JH Forsythe had gotten a letter from Betty Cooper. She hadn't been sure it was him, but she had asked that if it was indeed him that he finally give her the closure, she needed to move on.  
"It's not your place to interfere, Cheryl," Toni said rereading Cheryl's expression.

"It's ok Toni," Jughead said looking from Cheryl to Toni. "I hope you do tell her you saw me. Here's my number. I will be hanging out here for a few more hours. If she wants to, she can meet me here, and we can talk." His voice was nearly shaking at the idea.

"Fine," Toni said taking the number. Cheryl winked at him, and they headed out, apparently forgetting what it was, they had come in for.

-/-

Jug spent the next two hours sitting in Pop's, his laptop open as he typed a few paragraphs of his new book. It felt like old times writing at a booth in Pops. He wondered if Cheryl and Toni would really tell Betty he was here. Would she react or would she even care? He didn't know her anymore. She may have changed. He was about to give up and go to the five seasons. He would call Archie and let him know he was in town. The door to Pop's opened, and he saw a flash of blond hair.

She looked older, but not in a bad way. If anything, she was more beautiful than he remembered. She was wearing her hair down these days as opposed to up in a tight ponytail. He noticed that she had on a blue dress and pink ballet flat shoes. She still had the same amazing smile. Most importantly she was here, in front of him for the first time in 6 years.

"Jug?" She asked as she scanned the booths. She stopped dead in her tracks staring at him. He must truly not look like himself. He stood and walked toward her, his eyes never leaving hers.  
"Hey there, Juliet." He managed as a small smile cracked across Betty's face.


	2. Chapter 2: The girl next door

"Hey there Juliet." Jughead Jones exclaimed. He wasn't sure what made him say it. It was something from their past. He'd spoken those words to her just before their very first kiss. He often felt like they were Romeo and Juliet, destined for their own tragic ending. As it turned out, He wasn't wrong. He was attempting to lighten the tension that was already between them. He was elated when Betty smiled at him.

The 30 seconds that followed the delivery of that infamous line were some of the most confusing moments of Jughead's life. He watched as Betty swiftly made her way over to him. He had never been happier to see anyone in his life. No matter what the circumstances, Jug couldn't wait to talk to her. He wasn't sure what would happen. He couldn't sweep her off her feet and run away with her, as he always imagined he would. She was engaged to someone else. For all he knew, she loved that man more than she'd ever loved him.

On top of that, she was probably still angry at him. He wouldn't blame her if she never wanted to see him again. It must be difficult for her to see him after all the promises that had been broken. He hated himself for the decisions he'd made. It would probably take hours to say all the things that needed to be said between them, and it wouldn't be easy. As far as he knew, he had lost her forever.

He was prepared for a verbal beat down. To Jughead's surprise, her first move was to slap him hard across the jaw. The thwack sound of it was as shocking as the searing pain it caused. Several of the other patrons looked at them in confusion. He would have expected her to scream at him or say that she hated him. He hadn't expected to get hit. Betty usually wasn't one for violence. It was like six years of pent up anger were unleashed in one singular slap. He'd grabbed her arms to stop her from hitting him again. One of the high school boys at a nearby table stood.

"Everything ok over here?" He asked looking from Betty to Jughead. The kid had balls. Jug wondered if this kid would be so bold when he realized he was talking to the former Serpent king and queen. He brushed the thought aside. He had given up that title when he left town. He'd passed the title on to sweet pea. He wasn't sure if the serpents would even recognize him anymore. He hated that he wasn't a serpent, that would always be a part of who he was, even if they didn't know him anymore.

"We are fine," Jughead said. Betty nodded, though she was starting to cry. Jug felt like the biggest asshole. He promised to love this woman forever and then left her. Now, he had shown up on the night of her engagement party. He was about to tell her that he understood why she hated him and promise that he would leave her alone forever when she surprised him again. What came next was even more of a head-scratcher than the slap.

"Sorry Jug," Betty said. They were the first words she'd said since realizing he was standing in front of her. She wiped her eyes, and she pulled him into a bone crushing hug. The mixed signals were giving him a headache. He held her as tightly as he could. He was smelling the scent that was distinctly Betty. He had never been able to pinpoint what that smell was. Nothing could compare to it. He wanted to burn that smell into his nostrils and never smell anything else ever again. She seemed to be breathing him in as well. He couldn't help but notice that she inhaled deeply. He hoped that was a good sign. Maybe she didn't want him gone after all? "I don't know what came over me."

"It's ok Betts. I deserved worse than that. Can you give me a little more warning if you decide to slap me again?" He rubbed the spot on his jaw. It was still stinging. He was confident that it would leave a bruise. He hoped it would. It was a reminder that she cared.

"No promises." She answered, but she chuckled a little. There was nothing but mischief behind the smile. It was amazing to hear her laugh. He'd forgotten how happy it made him. She no longer looked like she was going to cry. He was relieved.

"I've missed you." He said. She didn't justify it with an answer. Her face scrunched into an expression of pain. He could tell that she missed him as well, even though she didn't say anything for several seconds.

"Do you want to sit down?" She gestured to the booth where his laptop was still open. She was reaching out to him. It was an olive branch, and he knew he should take it. They sat down awkwardly, across from each other. When they'd come here all those years ago, they had always sat on the same side of the booth, desperate to snuggle up together. Betty seemed to want distance now. He wanted nothing more than to feel the warmth of her arm around him. They didn't say anything for several moments. "What are you doing here Jug?" She asked the dreaded question. He didn't honestly know the answer.

"I…" He trailed off straining to find the right words. "I wanted to give you what you asked me for." He pulled the folded-up letter from his pocket. She gaped at it for a minute. She took it from him and unfolded it. He hoped she couldn't tell how worn it was. He had read that letter at least a hundred times. It somehow felt like a connection to Betty and the past he desperately wished he could change.

"You are JH Forsythe." She smiled. "I knew it! I asked Archie, but he wouldn't tell me. I thought it was you. The pen name was too convenient."

"In Archie's defense, I asked him not to tell you," Jughead admitted. "He kept my secret because he's a good friend."

"The best." Betty agreed. She looked as if there were a million questions that she wanted to ask, but the right one just wouldn't come to her. He watched as Betty worked her way to the most important one. He could still read what she was thinking. Finally, she spoke. "I understand why you left Juggie. You left to keep me safe." She explained. He only nodded in response. "When the heat was off, and you got out of the gang stuff. I wasn't in danger anymore. Why didn't you come back?" The question hit like a second slap. He hadn't thought that she would go straight for the heart. He should have known. Betty was the type to go for it. It was one of the many things that had made him fall in love with her.

"I don't know." He admitted. He didn't have an answer to the question. He'd often wondered why he'd stayed away for such a long time. He never wanted to face what he had done. "I was ashamed. I didn't know what to say. I convinced myself that you wouldn't want to see me. I was afraid that you might hate me."

"Jug, boyfriend or not, you were my best friend. I was closer with you than anyone. You know things about me that even Ronnie and Archie don't. You are the only person that has seen the darkness inside of me and embraced me for it. You should have known that I wanted to see you. We don't have to be together for me to care about you. I think you forgot that." She argued. He stared at her trying to find the right words.

"I have no excuse, Betty." He was almost shaking with nerves now. "I'm sorry. I was afraid that if I came back, I wouldn't be able to stay away from you, and after everything, I've done. I was a total chicken shit, and all I can say is, Sorry."

"It's over Jug, you chose for me, without thinking about what I wanted. Now we both have to live with it." She spoke in a whisper. The words were nearly physically painful. Since they were going straight for the throat, he decided to ask the question that was burning within him like a hot poker.

"Do you love him?" Betty looked like he'd slapped her this time. He saw a hint of hesitation before she answered. He wasn't sure if it was because she was unsure of the answer or if she didn't want to hurt him.

"Yeah." She managed after several more seconds. The tone didn't convince him. He knew she was working hard to speak carefully. He didn't know why. "It's different, but yes. He helped me through something, and I can never forget that."

"So, do you love him or are you just grateful to him?" Jughead asked. He knew Betty, despite what she had said, she avoided the real answer.

"Jug, come on. You have no right to press me about this." She begged. He made intentional eye contact with her. He knew she couldn't skirt around anymore. Finally, she spoke again, she sounded surer this time. "I do love him."

"Then, I'm glad you're happy." His voice sounded foreign to him. He was fighting his emotions. It felt as if someone had just stabbed him through the heart with a dagger. He did his very best to mask it. He couldn't say he'd ever loved anyone but her. It was the sole reason he broke up with his girlfriend. She wasn't Betty Cooper, and he was pretty sure he would never be able to love anyone else as long as he lived. She'd broken him for every other woman in the world. The fact that she claimed to love her fiancée meant that she was capable of loving someone other than him. Maybe he wasn't as special to her as he always imagined.

"What about you?" Betty asked with a strange trepidation. "Are you seeing anyone?"

"Not anymore. I dated a girl for a few years. We even lived together for a bit, but it didn't work out. It just wasn't…." he was thinking of the word 'you,' but instead, he said "Right."

"When Cheryl told me you were here, I wasn't sure if I could believe her." She explained. "It still feels like a strange dream. I wanted you to come back for so long. Now, when I am finally moving on, here you are."

"I'm sorry Betty." He paused taking a deep breath. "I know my timing is off, but I needed to see you. I needed to know if you were happy."

"And what if I'm not happy Jug, what then? What's your plan? Did you think you could show up and that I would welcome you back into my arms? It's been six years. You left me. You have no right to show up here and screw up my life."

"I don't have any expectations. I just wanted to give you closure, and to tell you, I love you. I always have and always will love you. I know that isn't what you need to hear, but it's the truth. I screwed up, I left, and I've been sorry for that every day." He paused again. "I came to say I'm sorry."

He reached across the narrow booth and took the hand she was idly tapping on the table in his. It felt like electricity was shooting between them. He'd forgotten what it was like to be with her. He wanted to touch her more. He longed to take her somewhere where he could show her that she was still his. The desire that burned in him was so strong he wasn't sure if he could fight it. She looked nearly as surprised as he did, but she didn't pull away. They held eye contact for a few seconds. He couldn't help thinking that all this time they were connected by a huge rubber band that was pulling them further and further apart. Now, they'd finally pulled it too tight, and it was snapping them back together. Her resolve was fading. He could see it.

"Does he know you're here?" Jug asked. She still hadn't let go of the hand. He was afraid, but he had to know what Betty had told her fiancée.

"Who?" Betty asked.

"Your fiancée." Jug said laughing a little.

"Hux?" She laughed out loud. It was as if she'd temporarily forgotten about him. Her hand still holding Jughead's casually.

"Yes. I guess that is your fiancee's name?" Jughead teased. He realized that he didn't even know the name of the guy she was supposed to be marrying.

"Huxley Blaine." She explained. "And no, I didn't tell him yet. I wanted to meet with you on my own first. He never would have stayed away if I had told him."

"Fair enough." Jughead nodded, then something hit him, and he smiled. "Betty Blaine?" Jug couldn't help but chuckle. Betty had always been secretly jealous of Archie and Jughead for their ridiculous alliteration names. She joked with Jughead that when they got married, he needed to change his last name from Jones to Bones so that she could finally fit in. She had legitimately wanted to be Betty Bones. He wished he'd let that happen.

"I go by Elizabeth mostly these days. Except with the people who knew me as Betty." She explained. It surprised him. She never seemed like an Elizabeth Cooper to him. It was a formal name, and Betty wasn't formal. She would always be Betty as far as he was concerned. He wondered what made her change her mind. He hoped his leaving hadn't done it.

"He thinks I'm spending a few hours with Ronnie." She explained. "I hated lying, but if I told him, he would have insisted on coming along." She paused. "I wasn't ready for that yet."

"Why?" Jug asked.

"He is always trying to protect me. He wouldn't want to see me get hurt." The words crushed Jug. He never wanted anyone to think he would hurt Betty. Jughead never wanted to be the cause of Betty's pain. He wanted to be the one entrusted with protecting her from hurt and pain. That wasn't his place anymore. It was Huxley's.

"I won't hurt you, Betts." He said the hurt clear on his face. "Not ever again."

"I know Jug." She said. "I've gone through some major stuff since the last time you saw me. It's a long story. Talking about it is excruciating. I don't have time to tell it now."

"Did someone hurt you?" He asked. He clinched the hand that wasn't holding Betty's. His knuckles were white. If someone had done something to her, he would kill them himself.

"Please Jug." She looked at the floor avoiding the question. "I'm not in the mood to talk about it now."

"Do you need to go?" He asked. His hand was shaking now.

"For now. I have a lot to think about Juggie. I need to tell Hux that you are here. I need to work out a lot of things in my head." She said. He cringed. She had come to see him, but nothing changed. She was still going back to Huxley Blaine. He felt that like a gut punch. He knew she didn't have much choice.

"Listen, Betty…" He trailed off. "I'm not leaving again. If you need me to be your friend, I can do that. It doesn't have to be about anything else. Whatever has happened, you can tell me. I would never judge you. I understand your darkness, you said that yourself. I hope you will think about that."

"I will, but this isn't about my darkness… I really can't talk about this Jug. I'm not ready yet." She admitted.

"I'm just saying that when and if you are ready, you can talk to me about it." He said. He had a sinking feeling he knew what might have happened. It made him sick.

"I would like that, but I'm not sure we are capable of being just friends." She explained. If he was candid, wasn't sure they were either, but he was willing to try if she wanted that.

"All I was saying is that I won't make you choose him or me. I would never do that to you. You can have me as your friend and marry him. I'm not bailing again." He explained. Betty's face softened. "no matter what you choose to do."

"Thank you for that Juggie." She said. She stood again, "I really need to go, but can I call you later?"

"Yeah." He gave her his new number. Watching her walk away hurt more than anything he had ever felt in his life. Betty paused in the doorway. She looked back at him longingly.

"Hey Jug?" She asked. "Do you still ride your motorcycle?"

"Sometimes, but I brought my truck here. It was too long of a drive to bring the bike." He admitted.

"Good. I walked here from my Mom's. Is there any way you could drive me to the five seasons?" He didn't hesitate. He closed his laptop and got to his feet.

"You are staying at the Five seasons?" He asked.

"Yeah, Hux didn't want to impose on my mom." She explained. "And she won't let us share a bed under her roof."

"Wow." He cracked up. "Does she realize how often I slept in your room?"

"I don't think so." She smiled. "If she did, I probably would have spent a lot more time in the sisters of quiet mercy than I did."

"I'm staying at the hotel as well." He admitted. She couldn't help but laugh at the irony. "Let's go." He packed up the computer and the two of them headed for his truck.

-/-

Less than five minutes later, Betty sat in the passenger seat of Jughead's truck. It was newer than she expected. He was doing well for himself. She was planning to walk to the five seasons, it was only a few blocks away. She used this as an excuse to spend more time with him. She realized she wasn't ready to walk away from him again so soon. She looked over at him and saw yet again how drastically he'd changed. The plaid-wearing, hipster in front of her, didn't exactly look like her Juggie. However, it was him. She'd known that the moment he touched her. She was tempted to ask him about his new look. She missed the boy she'd known. Somehow he had become in man.

"So where are you calling home these days?" She asked. He hadn't told her where he lived.

"I have a nice house in Westchester New York." He explained. "It's ancient, and I've been fixing it up. It's my project for when I'm not writing."

"Oh. I'm still in Chicago." She explained. He smiled.

"I know, I subscribe to your paper." He admitted. "I've read most of your articles. You've become an even better writer than you were back in high school."

"Well, now I feel bad." She said.

"Why?" He asked.

"Well, I…" She trailed off. "I've been too much of a chicken to read your books."

"Oh." He said. It hurt a little. He hoped beyond hope that she'd read them. They were, after all, a love letter to her.

"I was afraid that they would be too personal for me. I own all three, but I couldn't bring myself to actually start reading." She said it like the confession of a dirty secret.

"Do me one favor?" He asked looking at her. "Try to read them, when you are ready. I think you will understand everything that happened between us better if you do that."

"I will try." She promised. At that moment they pulled up to the Five Seasons. He reached over, grabbed her hand, and pulled it to his lips kissing it lovingly. The spark of his lips touching her skin was overwhelming. She couldn't believe the way her body still responded to him. The touch of his lips instantly turned her on.

"I want to kiss you so badly right now, Betts, it's almost painful." He admitted. She froze. She wanted that too, more than anything she'd ever wanted in her life. She hadn't been planning to do this. She didn't want to complicate matters by falling in love with Jug all over again. She realized now that she never stopped loving him. She probably never would. She leaned in, making the decision. She needed to remember what this felt like if she was going to decide. It might be the biggest mistake of her life, but it was important. Hux never needed to find out about this. When their lips were mere inches apart, Jughead stopped her. "We shouldn't Betty." She hated that Jug was right. They shouldn't do this. No matter what happened in the future, Betty didn't think that she was a cheater. She would be cheating on someone she loved if she kissed Jughead, even though it felt like the most natural thing in the world. It would probably make her hate herself again, and she was finally getting past that.

"Thank you for driving me home, Mr. Forsythe." She managed, teasing him with the name. She leaned in and kissed him gently on the cheek. It still sent sparks to her toes, but it was chaste. It wasn't too much.

"Any time Elizabeth." He teased back. The tension was so thick in the air that she wondered if she could cut it with a knife.

-/-

Hux sat at the small desk with his laptop open. He was researching for a story she imagined. He wasn't supposed to be working this trip, but she couldn't say much of anything. She had just been out with her ex-boyfriend. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of Jughead. She hated that he still affected her in this way. He was the dangerous choice, he was the one that could leave her again, yet in her heart, she loved him. He was and always would be, her soulmate.

"Did you have a fun time with Ronnie?" He asked closing the screen and moving to sit with her on the bed.

"Oh, yeah." She managed. She hated the lie. She needed to tell him, but not tonight. For this one night, she needed to think. She would tell Hux everything in the morning. He stared at her with his puppy dog eyes. She grabbed her kindle fire out of her bag.

"Hey." He said looking at the Ereader. "I was thinking maybe…" He hinted rubbing her shoulder. She was caught off guard. He wanted to have sex with her. She wasn't in the place for that at all.

"Oh, I'm actually kind of tired." She lied again, the lies were getting worse. She hated that she was becoming this person. "If it's all right with you, I'd rather just read my book."

"Fine." He said not fighting too hard. Though he followed it by giving her a firm kiss on the lips. She tried her hardest to feel something. She felt hollow from the kiss. It was a pale shadow of what she'd felt from that simple kiss on the cheek she had given Jug. She tried not to cry, she didn't want it to be true. Hux was the person who had stuck by her after the rape, but maybe he wasn't the one. She'd always known that.

"If you don't mind." Hux continued. "I'm going to head down to the café in the lobby and keep writing then?"

"Not a problem at all." She smiled. He grabbed the room key and stepped out of the room. As soon as he was gone, she grabbed the Kindle again. She looked down at her titles and decided instantly. She clicked the 'read' button on the new book and began reading the first line of 'The girl next door.' by JH Forsythe. It was time to relive the past, no matter how painful it was for her.


	3. Chapter 3: secrets and lies

Jughead sat at the hotel bar. His few moments of self-loathing had caused him to decide that he wanted a drink. He ordered a glass of whiskey, but he wasn't really drinking it. He rarely ever drank alcohol. He remembered his father at his very worst. He regretted the decision to order it immediately. He thought that he wanted to forget his troubles, in the end, Jug didn't want his brain to be any more clouded than it already was. Drinking wasn't going to help anything. He wasn't his father, He didn't drown in his sorrows.

His mind was upstairs, with Betty Cooper. When she'd kissed his cheek, he had known that everything he said was just a ruse. He wanted her back. There was no more to it than that. He wasn't sure if he deserved a second chance, but he wanted to give it a shot. Maybe he'd made some mistakes, but he'd earned the right to be happy. He was tired of trying to do what was right for everyone except himself. He wasn't going to hate himself anymore. It was time to fight for what he wanted.

For now, he needed to get Betty Cooper out of his head and focus on his novel. His deadline was 6 months away, but he'd only written a few paragraphs. It had taken him over two years, to finish 'the girl next door.' He managed to complete the follow-up novels over a year each. He didn't know how to write the next story. He knew he was in trouble because he would probably never finish in time. It was fiction, but in many ways, it was about his life. His first novel was a story about a small-town murder. In it, an innocent girl next door type character finds herself inadvertently investigating the case. The death was nothing like Jason Blossom's murder, but many of the players were the same.

The story's main character was inspired by Betty. She seemed sweet and innocent on the one hand, but there was darkness within her that she didn't understand. He hoped that if Betty ever did read it, she wouldn't be upset by the character's penchant for harming herself. That was mostly his own creative license. He did remember Betty frequently digging her nails into her palms, however.

The sardonic narrator of the story was a boy who always felt like he was on the outside looking in. He lacked self-doubt. The boy was of course based on him. This character could never quite figure out what the girl liked about him. Just as Jug had never figured out what Betts saw in him.

Jughead had started the original novel as a love letter to Betty. He hoped she would read it and see that he still cared for her. He wanted her to forgive him for leaving. He'd spent hours wondering what she thought of the story. He imagined thousands of scenarios. When she said that she never read it, he was disappointed. She had her reasons, he hoped someday she would finish at least his first book, even if she decided to marry Huxley Blaine.

He was surprised by his fans more than anything. He expected his books to be read by a few people and fly mostly under the radar. Instead, he'd sold over 9 million copies in the US alone. The overwhelming response to the characters strong and unbreakable love for each other made him realize that his fans, like his friends in Riverdale, were all rooting for Bughead. He'd never meant for the novel's love story to be so strong. He only meant for it to feel real. That was the reason that everyone found it so compelling. He dreaded the eventual break-up of the characters. He hadn't decided how to write it. He even considered giving them a happy ending. The fake lovers could end up together, even if the real people hadn't.

He was just about to go back to his room when he heard a server address the only other patron in the bar-café. He was a beefy guy in his mid-20's. The guy reminded him a little of a dark-haired Archie. He was a little bigger than Archie with a large build and chiseled chest. No matter how much he worked out, Jug was always slender and sinewy. He could never be a muscled hunk like this guy.

"Mr. Blaine, here is the cappuccino you ordered." The man said. Jug's attention instantly turned to the beefy guy. Surely there was only one 20 something man in the hotel with the last name Blaine. This guy was engaged to Betty. Huxley Blaine was precisely the type of guy that Jug pictured Betty with. He was very much the boy next door, and it went perfectly with her girl next door image. It was a little too perfect for his taste. Only Jughead knew that this guy wasn't Betty's type. While she'd once been attracted to Archie, she ultimately realized he wasn't right for her. Hux seemed to be the same way.

Betty needed someone who could match her wit and Intelligence. Jughead studied Hux. He did seem to be a bit more intellectual than Archie. He hadn't closed his computer since he'd sat down. He was frantically typing something. Given the fact that he was a reporter, Jug imagined it must be an article. Jughead nearly laughed as Hux took a sip of his cappuccino and winced. Apparently, he was a coffee snob. Jughead never understood the need for fancy flavored coffee, he preferred his strong and black. It was proof that Huxley was from a whole different world then Betty. He was a city boy through and through.

Jughead wondered why Huxley was down here, writing, when Betty Cooper was upstairs. If Jughead had been dating Betty, he would have spent every moment with her. He hoped there hadn't been the cause of a lovers spat between the two. Perhaps, she told Hux about Jughead's presence in town. Hux seemed a little irritated. He was clenching his jaw in frustration. Jughead considered introducing himself, but he decided that it wasn't a good idea. If Betty hadn't spoken to him, then Hux would be mad at her for lying. It might cause Betty unnecessary pain. Jug wouldn't do that to her again. For now, he was going to leave well enough alone. He would have to tears the band-aid off eventually, but for tonight Huxley could be blissfully ignorant of Jughead's presence.

"Jug." He heard someone say from across the room. He looked up and saw Archie Andrews approaching from the doorway. He told Archie not to come by until the morning, apparently his friend couldn't wait to see him. He was more excited than he realized to see Archie as well. They still talked on the phone every Saturday and Archie had been out to visit him twice over the years. Yet, it'd been a very long time since they'd been together here in Riverdale. It felt almost surreal. He was grateful to have a friend that cared about him this much. He realized way too late that Archie's appearance caused an unexpected problem. Huxley and Archie knew each other. After they had executed a very short hug, Jug gestured for Archie to sit down on the bar stool next to him. They were just about to start a conversation when someone spoke.

"Archie!" They heard a deep male voice say from behind them. Hux had gotten to his feet and was approaching the bar. Archie was glancing back and forth between them, not sure what to do next. Jughead felt surprisingly terrified. He wasn't the type to be intimidated, but Hux was good looking and strong. As Hux walked to Archie, he didn't pay much attention to Jughead. Huxley seemed surprised by Archie's startled reaction. He gave him a slightly suspicious look.

"Hux," Archie said. "I didn't expect you to be here, I assumed you were staying with Mrs. Cooper."

"No." Hux laughed. "Elizabeth and Alice still have their issues. We decided it would be best for everyone's sanity if we stayed in a hotel and this is the nicest one in Riverdale." Hux looked straight at Jughead for the first time. He stared at him as if he knew his face from somewhere, but couldn't put his finger on exactly where.

"I'm sorry, I don't think we know each other." He put a hand out toward Jughead. He thought hard for several seconds. Should he be honest? Lie? Which way was better for Betty? He decided that he shouldn't lie to Huxley. The truth was going to come out eventually. Archie looked as if the apocalypse was going to start at any moment. "I'm Huxley Blaine." He said. Jughead hesitated. He hoped that Huxley was as docile as Betty had described him earlier. Suddenly Hux stared at him, and his mouth fell open slightly. The recognition was evident on his face.

"I'm Jughead Jones." He said. The expression on Huxley's face grew darker with the confirmation. He'd obviously been told all about Jughead. It didn't surprise Jug. He just hoped he wasn't blindsiding Betty. Hux composed himself quickly. He was good at suppressing his emotions. "I take it from your reaction that you've heard of me?"

"I take it from yours that you know who I am as well?" Hux answered the question with another question.

"Yeah. You're Betty's guy." Jughead hated saying those words, but they were correct. He wasn't Betty's guy right now. This broad-shouldered, traditionally handsome man was her fiancée, not him.

"I'm her fiancée," Hux said. It was a bit pretentious. "And she goes by Elizabeth these days."

"Yeah. I heard that as well." He paused. "I always liked Betty better."

"Please don't tell me you're here to cause further damage to Elizabeth?" He asked. His eyes were begging. Hux clearly wanted to protect Betty. Jughead admired that. "She has been through too much." Jughead didn't like those words. They sounded as ominous as what Betty had discussed with him earlier. Betty had not told Hux that Jug was in town. He wondered why.

"I wouldn't cause her any pain." Jug said. It was true. He didn't have to lie.

"Yeah right," Huxley said. His expression was full of anger. "You caused that poor girl more pain than anyone ever deserves. It took her three years to get over you. When I first met her, she really believed that you were going to come back and that the two of you would be together. She wouldn't give me the time of day for the longest time. She finally accepted that it just wasn't going to happen after…"

"…After what?" Jughead asked. He was hoping Hux would say something that Betty would not.

"I won't throw it in your face." Huxley paused. The wind seemed to come out of his sails. Jug hated to admit it, but this guy was fiercely loyal to Betty. Under different circumstances, he would have liked him.

"I know it might be hard for you to believe, but I genuinely care about Betty," Jughead said. "I always have. I left her to try and protect her from the messed up Illegal stuff that I was involved in. I always thought that she deserved better than me and she found it." He paused again, he felt like he might be sick, but the words were entirely true. "I'm happy for both of you."

"Can you do me one favor?" Hux asked. Jughead knew what was coming. It was too late for the request.

"He can't stay away from her," Archie interjected. Until now he was standing aside mostly making sure he didn't need to referee a fight. "She already knows he's here."

"What?" Hux said his anger was flaring again.

"Cheryl Blossom told her earlier, at your engagement party. I think that she didn't want her to run into him and be blindsided. She was going to talk to you and arrange a meeting tomorrow." Hux looked more than confused.

"Why didn't she tell me?" He asked there was hurt in his voice. Jughead saw that immediately.

"Maybe she didn't know how." Jug explained. "She has a hard time articulating how she feels sometimes. I'm sure that she didn't do it to cause you any pain."

"Yeah." He managed, though it didn't sound convincing. He looked at Jug as if seeing him for the first time. "It's scary how well you know Elizabeth Cooper." He admitted.

"Yeah well, I had a lot of practice." Jug smiled. Huxley smiled back.

"If the two of you will excuse me. I need to go talk to my fiancée." Huxley explained. The moment he was gone, Jug texted Betty.

'Hey Betts, I ran into Huxley in the hotel bar. I was forced to tell him who I was. I didn't tell him I'd seen you, but he knows you know I'm here. I'm sorry. I hope everything will be ok." At that, he hit send. "Let me know if you need anything.' He sent as an afterthought.

-/-

Betty had been sitting in her hotel room reading Jughead's book for two solid hours when her phone dinged. Her eyes were filled with tears. She loved it more than anything she'd ever read. It was perfect. She hated the way Jughead had portrayed himself as a guy on the outside looking in. She never knew that he felt that way. It was sad to her. It was so different than the way he saw her. He saw her as a beautiful unbreakable force which somehow, through no possible understanding of the boy, loved him unconditionally. She knew the characters weren't exactly her and Jug, but they were close enough.

"Crap." She said reading the hurried text that Juggie had sent to her. Betty wondered how long it would take for Hux to make it upstairs. She needed to formulate what she was going to say by then. Betty wished she'd just told him earlier. She wanted to let it simmer for a few hours. She stared at the door in anticipation as the key-card clicked and the knob turned.

"Hey." She said the moment the door opened. "I'm so sorry Hux."

"You know what just happened downstairs than?" He asked. She decided that it was time to tell the whole truth, she owed him that. 'Why didn't you tell me?" He spoke with surprising softness. He seemed more hurt than angry.

"First let me say, that I'm sorry I lied to you today. I don't want that hanging over us. I think it's time that you know what really happened this evening." She spoke openly. Hux looked wrecked.

"At our engagement party, Cheryl Blossom told me that she'd seen Jughead at Pops. She said that he wanted to see me." Hux looked at her with shocked eyes. He sat silently. "I knew I should tell you, but I thought that if you knew you would never have let me go on my own."

"You're right, I wouldn't have." His entire demeanor seemed flat and emotionless. She was genuinely worried about him.

"I needed to do it alone." She explained frantically. "I knew it would be hard for me. I'm not made of Glass Hux. I'm tired of being treated like I am. I wanted to sit down and have a conversation with him without any expectations or looming anger. What happened between him and me, is about my past and the closure I need to move forward. You aren't a part of that just because we are together now."

"I guess that is true. I just wish you trusted me enough to tell me." Hux explained. He still seemed hurt. "It will probably take me a bit to get past that. I really thought that after everything I've done for you, everything we have gone through together, that you would have known you could trust me with anything."

"I'm sorry Hux." She said. "I really didn't mean to hurt you. I just…"

"I'm not stupid Elizabeth. Everyone in this town thinks you still belong with him. Sometimes I wonder if even you think that." He snapped a little. "I'm tired of being the guy who everyone sees as the consolation prize. Why do you think I hate coming here so much?"

"You aren't second best." She almost screamed. "The two relationships are very different. It's hard because when I was younger, I loved him so much. I never pictured a future with anyone else. I didn't think I would ever have to learn to live without him."

"He left you. I won't ever do that." He said in a matter of fact tone.

"I know that Hux." She broke down. The rawness of all of it was too much for her.

"I need to know right now; did anything happen between the two of you?" He asked there was a hint of something like fear in his eyes. He was afraid that he was going to lose her. She wanted to reassure him, but she wasn't sure that she could. She felt like a force beyond her control was pulling her back to Jughead. He was hers, and she was his. How could she tell Hux that there was nothing between them? She didn't know how to proceed.

"Nothing happened." She explained. It was the truth. They hadn't gone too far. "We talked for a few hours, he apologized, then he drove me to the hotel. I feel like I should tell you that we almost kissed in his truck just before I got out, but I didn't go through with it. I couldn't do that to you. That is all. Please just let it go for tonight."

"I can try because I love you. I know we are strong together and I think we can get through this." Hux said. He seemed to relax a little, though there was still worry behind his eyes. She still felt like she was lying. She wasn't ready to admit out loud that there was a genuine possibility that she still wanted to be with Jughead Jones. "I'm sorry you felt that you couldn't come to me with this. We are partners Elizabeth. That's what marriage means. You can tell me anything."

"I…" She started intending to tell him that she still had feelings for Jug. "Ok." She said instead.

"I was wondering…" Hux added. "Can we all have lunch together tomorrow. You, me, Archie, Veronica, and Jones?"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" She asked.

"Come on Babe, I just spent almost 30 minutes with him downstairs, and I didn't kill him. It would make me feel better if we all got together. I think it would ease my mind. I feel like if I see the two of you together, maybe I can see that it's all in the past."

"Fine." Betty smiled at him. There was an enormous pit in her stomach now. "I will set it up."

"We should really get some sleep." He spoke. Betty wanted more than anything to curl up in bed and finish the book. He pulled his t-shirt over his head and started to put on his pajamas. She grabbed her phone and texted Jughead.

'Crisis averted. I told Hux everything. He wants to have lunch tomorrow with you, Archie, and Ronnie. I will set it up in the morning. I'm going to bed now, but thanks for the warning.' She hit send and pulled back out the kindle. She crawled into bed next to Hux. Neither of them said anything, keeping an awkward distance from each other. They were careful not to touch one another. Betty finished Jughead's first novel. Ethel and Toni had been right, it was the best thing she'd ever read.

-/-

Jughead and Archie sat at the bar for several minutes after Hux left. They were both nervous. Jug finally relaxed when he got Betty's text message. She was ok. She didn't seem angry at him. He looked over at the table where Huxley had been sitting. He noticed that the man left his laptop open on the table along with his half-drunk latte. Jughead walked over to it, intending to close it. He wanted to take it up to their room, it would be an excuse to check on Betty. Jug decided it was a better idea to give it to the front desk. As he approached the computer, the title of the document on the screen popped out at him. It made his mouth fall open. He instantly saw red. Clenching his fists so that they were pure white. Archie looked at him in confusion. He walked over.

"You ok Jug?" he asked. He reached out to touch Jughead on the shoulder. Jug knocked his hand away.

"No." Jug said. He turned the document so that Archie could see it. Archie's mouth opened as well. "Do you see this shit?"

It was a mostly blank page. Clearly formatted as the title page of a manuscript. In the center of it were the words.

'The Black Hood Killer: The heinous crimes of Hal Cooper and the impact serial killers leave on those who love them.' By Huxley Parker Blaine.

"You don't think…" Archie managed he was still gawking.

"That Huxley is using Betty for his story. If he isn't now, it started that way." He was so angry that his vision was white. "Either way, Betty needs to know about this. This needs to end now."


End file.
